1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a swiveling utility machine having a swivel deck, an engine disposed at a rear portion of the swivel deck, a radiator disposed adjacent the engine, a driver's seat, a right implement controller disposed on the right side of the driver's seat and a left implement controller disposed on the left side of the driver's seat.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional swiveling utility machine is known from e.g. Japanese Patent Application “Kokai” No. 11-81378. This machine includes an engine disposed at a rear portion of a swivel deck, a radiator disposed on either right or left side of the engine, and a support frame mounted on the swivel deck to be disposed over and across these, with an air cleaner and a muffler being mounted inside the support frame. In the case of this swiveling utility machine, its support frame is constructed as a three-post type including two front posts and one rear post and is mounted over and across the engine. However, as the right and left implement controllers are supported by separate stays, the mounting construction is complicated and assembly thereof is troublesome.
Another swiveling utility machine is known from Japanese Patent Application “Kokai” No. 9-195316. In the case of this machine, a support frame having a rectangular shape in its plan view is mounted forwardly of the engine, and the driver's seat and right and left implement controllers are supported to this support frame. The support frame employed in this swiveling utility machine is constructed as a four-post type and has a rectangular shape in its plan view. Although this support frame can support the driver's seat and the right and left implement controllers, as the frame is disposed separately and forwardly of the engine, it is difficult to form the fore-and-aft size of the swivel deck compact.
Still another swiveling utility machine is known from Japanese Patent Application “Kokai” No. 2003-74085. In this machine, the support frame is disposed across the engine at a rear portion of the swivel deck, with front portions of the engine and frame being covered by a fixed cover. On the top of this fixed cover, the driver's seat is mounted. Further, on the right side of the driver's seat, a right implement controller is disposed and on the left side of the seat, a left implement controller is disposed to be switchable in its posture between an operational posture and a retracted non-operational posture. A radiator is disposed on the right side of the engine. An access step for the driver is formed at a front portion of the fixed cover. In this construction, a left side wall is provided on the left side of the fixed cover, with a front portion of the left side wall projecting from the front face of the fixed cover. And, the left implement controller projects even forwardly from this left side wall and the cover. For this reason, the access step is formed in a rather limited space, making the driver's access to the driver's seat difficult.
Still another swiveling utility machine is known from Japanese Patent Application “Kokai” No. 2001-20324. In this case, a traveling control unit is disposed at a front portion of a swivel deck and an engine is laterally disposed at a rear portion of the swivel deck. A support base for supporting a driver's seat is provided forwardly of the engine. A radiator is disposed on one side of the engine close to an access entrance. Further, a hydraulic pump is disposed on the other side of the engine distant from the access entrance. The driver's seat and right and left implement controllers are disposed forwardly of the engine. In the case of this construction, as the right and left implement controllers are disposed forwardly of the engine, an upper structure of the swivel deck is formed elongate in the fore and aft direction.